Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara, also simplified to Shadow of Mystara or known as Dungeons & Dragons 2, was developed and published by Capcom as an arcade game, as a sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom in 1996. Considered the "latest and greatest" in the beat-'em-up game genre by the Gaming Age Review and "one of the finest of its genre" by Jon Thompson, All Games Guide.
The game was also released on the Sega Saturn, packaged with Tower of Doom, under the title Dungeons & Dragons Collection, although the Saturn version limited the gameplay to only 2 players.
Overview
Combining the side scrolling gameplay of a beat 'em up with some aspects found in a computer RPG, Shadow over Mystara has many game mechanics not commonly found in arcade games. While things as simple as item collection, finding and equipping new gear and earning new spells as you gain experience is an old idea in console games, it is a rare find at the arcades. Players can wield a large variety of weapons and armor, although this selection is limited by the character you choose (thieves and magic-users, for example, can not use shields). There is also a huge assortment of magical and hidden items in the game, many of which are completely unknown to exist to the typical arcade gamer. This, along with the addition of multiple endings and forking paths, gives the game an extreme amount of re-playability and has led to its cult following.